Pilot Walks Away as Small Plane Crashes in Clarington

The 82-year-old pilot of a small plane, who crash-landed his aircraft successfully in a Clarington field after experiencing engine difficulty, walked away without serious injury.

On Thursday August 11, 2011 at approximately 1:10 p.m. officers from East Division, along with Fire and EMS services, responded to Clarington Concession Road 8, just west of Leskard, after several witnesses reported a small aircraft had crash-landed into a farmer’s field. Officers located the pilot, a Clarington resident, who indicated he was flying to Mosport when he encountered engine difficulties and prepared for an emergency landing. There were no other passengers aboard the aircraft at the time of the incident.

The vintage Spitfire aircraft skidded approximately 100 metres upon impact into the field. The pilot freed himself from the wreckage and contacted authorities. The victim was transported to a local hospital for serious but non-life-threatening head injuries. The victim’s injuries were upgraded to minor following medical treatment.

Authorities from the Transportation Safety Board are investigating. No other damages or injuries were reported.